After loosing my corporate job of 16 years, not having much family or friends left in the Chicago area and at 51, I'm thinking of moving away from city/suburban scene and moving up north to restart my life.
Here's a few facts:
*No kids but my long-term GF and I are raising her granddaughter at least for now.
*I have B.S. Business with a Business/Reporting Analyst and Supply Chain experience and I'm Six Sigma certified.
*I was making $75K and the few interviews I've had recently in Chicago they are telling me I was overpaid by 15% to 20%. I never had the ambition or aptitude to be management material and I'm ok with that.
*My GF who lives up north is a simple county girl with a HS education making about $20k a year. Even if I was 'single' I still think I'd want to move up here.
*My net worth is around $670k, most of it is outside of IRAs/401ks and pensions.
*I have about 1000 lab hours of welding from a bunch of classes in mig, tig, stick, all 4 positions in A36, stainless, aluminum, oxy/plasma cutting, passed bend tests through 4G, never did 5G or 6G welds. Instructors were crusty and demanding and I got As in every class and worked my ass off but enjoyed it. Something about dealing with the laws of physics, properties of metals, working with my hands vs. dealing with corporate BS I found very refreshing. Granted every job will have some weasel to deal with but I bite my tongue and try to stay focused as a did for 25 years in corporate America.
*Ever since I graduated college I'd daydream about living, fishing, hunting and shooting my firearms on some property I'd own in a rural setting as I was stuck in some cubicle wondering what euphemism and sophistry managers could come up to hide the fact our business model sucks.
*Even before I started dating someone up there I've been fishing and hunting up here since the early 1990s.
*With exception of my fishing equipment, hunting equipment and a few firearms I'm not one to buy the best or new cars, boats, etc… I could care less about 7 series Beamer but a used 4x4 truck lifted 6" I find very intriguing.
*My days of traveling overseas are over. I only go where I can drive to now, I hate flying and all the hassle of airports.
*I always liked fishing and hunting in pristine areas, I was never one for crowds and so I guess I the quiet areas of the north woods intrigued me.
Realities as I see them… PLEASE chime in if I'm not fully appreciating the scope things or have rose-colored glasses on.
THE BAD…
*Less pay… I'll likely top out at $15hr, maybe to $20hr dollars as a welder. My GF's daughter is a welder at and she's going to help me with my weld exams since it's been about 8 years since I last flipped my Speedglas hood down. I'm going to buy a 220v mig welder to get up to speed before I take tests, tests are in the flat position which hopefully I can still do, lol. There are several large fabrication plants in the area.
*Poor health care… When I get a serious health issue (e.g. heart attack, stroke, cancer) I'm likely about two hours from a serious hospital deal with things.
*Bad food… I will miss all the interesting ethnic and good eateries of Chicago. I'm lucky that my GF can cook a little and is open to cook interesting food. I'll miss places like Freddy's on 16th.
*Lack of culture… I had my fill museums, CSO and trendy north side places when I was younger. I guess that's what my books, music, internet and the outdoors are for when I need to escape? We are planning on hitting Polka Days in Pulaski, WI so who needs Haydn?
Finance Plans…
*Try to buy a nice place (3br, 2 bath, 1700 to 2400 sf, 2 car garage, pole barn and 20 to 80 acres or at least contiguous to federal, state or county, CFA land) from $150k to $250k with cash. Property taxes are about 25% less than the Chicago area. Hopefully we'll buy a place that's 5 or 15 miles from town/work. I might need to buy a rust bucket plow truck (uninsured) just to keep the long drive clear. A casual search on Realtor.com and some road scouting shows these are feasible.
*Auto insurance is more expensive in WI and especially in MI so we're likely just to keep beater AWD cars, trucks with just liability and keep cash on hand for when we hit a deer, etc...
*Get a used fishing boat, something in the 16', multi-species V hull with a 50hp. I know plenty of mechanics up here to help me find a good running trucks, boats and sleds.
*Maybe get a used snowmobile/trailer for ice fishing season.
*Park the remaining $400K to $500k in mostly an equity portfolio and keep the rest for a rainy day?
*Right now, I'm paying about $350 a month for BCBS PPO, hopefully my future employer will pick-up a big chunk of that going forward.
*I hope I don't make it to 'old age' where I need to need to be put in a nursing home. I won't have the finances to buy the care my parents had ($14k a month) or have kids to wipe my ass.
This will probably be the biggest decision thus far considering. Walking away from my formal education and corporate America isn't something I take lightly but realizing I've got maybe 20 or 30 years left and where I'd want to spend them while I somewhat have the physical ability to enjoy my activities is something I consider as well. My GF and I have talked about moving to Chicago but then we'll likely be in some cookie-cutter house in the far outlying burbs where I'm dealing with a 2++ hours of driving everyday in traffic on a good day, that's hard to swallow for another 14 to 17 years of working.
Am I smoking crack and need to consider other things before I make such a drastic movie?
I've considered the 'WFH' thing but it seems like they're the first to get cut ('out of sight out of mind' perspective for senior management who need to do a RIF) and it's not something I can likely talk a new employer into.
Please be honest.
Thanks
Here's a few facts:
*No kids but my long-term GF and I are raising her granddaughter at least for now.
*I have B.S. Business with a Business/Reporting Analyst and Supply Chain experience and I'm Six Sigma certified.
*I was making $75K and the few interviews I've had recently in Chicago they are telling me I was overpaid by 15% to 20%. I never had the ambition or aptitude to be management material and I'm ok with that.
*My GF who lives up north is a simple county girl with a HS education making about $20k a year. Even if I was 'single' I still think I'd want to move up here.
*My net worth is around $670k, most of it is outside of IRAs/401ks and pensions.
*I have about 1000 lab hours of welding from a bunch of classes in mig, tig, stick, all 4 positions in A36, stainless, aluminum, oxy/plasma cutting, passed bend tests through 4G, never did 5G or 6G welds. Instructors were crusty and demanding and I got As in every class and worked my ass off but enjoyed it. Something about dealing with the laws of physics, properties of metals, working with my hands vs. dealing with corporate BS I found very refreshing. Granted every job will have some weasel to deal with but I bite my tongue and try to stay focused as a did for 25 years in corporate America.
*Ever since I graduated college I'd daydream about living, fishing, hunting and shooting my firearms on some property I'd own in a rural setting as I was stuck in some cubicle wondering what euphemism and sophistry managers could come up to hide the fact our business model sucks.
*Even before I started dating someone up there I've been fishing and hunting up here since the early 1990s.
*With exception of my fishing equipment, hunting equipment and a few firearms I'm not one to buy the best or new cars, boats, etc… I could care less about 7 series Beamer but a used 4x4 truck lifted 6" I find very intriguing.
*My days of traveling overseas are over. I only go where I can drive to now, I hate flying and all the hassle of airports.
*I always liked fishing and hunting in pristine areas, I was never one for crowds and so I guess I the quiet areas of the north woods intrigued me.
Realities as I see them… PLEASE chime in if I'm not fully appreciating the scope things or have rose-colored glasses on.
THE BAD…
*Less pay… I'll likely top out at $15hr, maybe to $20hr dollars as a welder. My GF's daughter is a welder at and she's going to help me with my weld exams since it's been about 8 years since I last flipped my Speedglas hood down. I'm going to buy a 220v mig welder to get up to speed before I take tests, tests are in the flat position which hopefully I can still do, lol. There are several large fabrication plants in the area.
*Poor health care… When I get a serious health issue (e.g. heart attack, stroke, cancer) I'm likely about two hours from a serious hospital deal with things.
*Bad food… I will miss all the interesting ethnic and good eateries of Chicago. I'm lucky that my GF can cook a little and is open to cook interesting food. I'll miss places like Freddy's on 16th.
*Lack of culture… I had my fill museums, CSO and trendy north side places when I was younger. I guess that's what my books, music, internet and the outdoors are for when I need to escape? We are planning on hitting Polka Days in Pulaski, WI so who needs Haydn?
Finance Plans…
*Try to buy a nice place (3br, 2 bath, 1700 to 2400 sf, 2 car garage, pole barn and 20 to 80 acres or at least contiguous to federal, state or county, CFA land) from $150k to $250k with cash. Property taxes are about 25% less than the Chicago area. Hopefully we'll buy a place that's 5 or 15 miles from town/work. I might need to buy a rust bucket plow truck (uninsured) just to keep the long drive clear. A casual search on Realtor.com and some road scouting shows these are feasible.
*Auto insurance is more expensive in WI and especially in MI so we're likely just to keep beater AWD cars, trucks with just liability and keep cash on hand for when we hit a deer, etc...
*Get a used fishing boat, something in the 16', multi-species V hull with a 50hp. I know plenty of mechanics up here to help me find a good running trucks, boats and sleds.
*Maybe get a used snowmobile/trailer for ice fishing season.
*Park the remaining $400K to $500k in mostly an equity portfolio and keep the rest for a rainy day?
*Right now, I'm paying about $350 a month for BCBS PPO, hopefully my future employer will pick-up a big chunk of that going forward.
*I hope I don't make it to 'old age' where I need to need to be put in a nursing home. I won't have the finances to buy the care my parents had ($14k a month) or have kids to wipe my ass.
This will probably be the biggest decision thus far considering. Walking away from my formal education and corporate America isn't something I take lightly but realizing I've got maybe 20 or 30 years left and where I'd want to spend them while I somewhat have the physical ability to enjoy my activities is something I consider as well. My GF and I have talked about moving to Chicago but then we'll likely be in some cookie-cutter house in the far outlying burbs where I'm dealing with a 2++ hours of driving everyday in traffic on a good day, that's hard to swallow for another 14 to 17 years of working.
Am I smoking crack and need to consider other things before I make such a drastic movie?
I've considered the 'WFH' thing but it seems like they're the first to get cut ('out of sight out of mind' perspective for senior management who need to do a RIF) and it's not something I can likely talk a new employer into.
Please be honest.
Thanks
